What kind of financial aid does Dartmouth offer?
Dartmouth’s financial aid is based entirely on
need. We have no merit, talent, or athletic scholarships. The
College is committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated financial need for
each of its students. Dartmouth financial aid awards include a combination of
employment and scholarship. Although loans are not part of the standard
financial aid package, they are available for students who have additional
educational expenses such as the purchase of a computer or for those students
who may need some assistance in meeting the expected family
contribution.
Who receives financial aid?
Last year, 48% of the entering class received
scholarship support. If you are not sure whether your family will
qualify, it is worth applying. The average scholarship for a member the
Class of 2011 was $30,400.
What does Dartmouth cost, and can I afford it?
The total 9-month cost of education for
2007-08 is $48,489 which includes tuition and fees, room and board, and an
allowance for books and miscellaneous expenses. Many students find that
because of our generous financial aid awards, the total cost of attending
Dartmouth may actually be more affordable than a public college.
How is financial need determined?
Financial need is the total cost of education
minus the family contribution. To determine the family contribution,
Dartmouth employs a formula that considers family size and number in college,
total income less standard allowances, and net assets. We review each
application individually and, when appropriate, make allowances for unusual or
extenuating circumstances.
What is total income and how is it calculated?
Total income is a combination of taxed and
untaxed income. We collect information about total income on application
forms and from tax returns and W-2 forms.
My parents are not married. Does my non-custodial parent’s income
count in the total income?
Although eligibility for federal financial aid
funds is determined using only the income of the custodial parent, Dartmouth
includes non-custodial parent income in the calculation of eligibility for
Dartmouth scholarship aid.
What are Dartmouth’s new Financial Aid initiatives?
- Dartmouth is now guaranteeing that tuition costs will be completely covered
by scholarship funds for families with a total income of under $75,000 (with
typical assets.)
- Dartmouth will no longer package loans as part of the financial aid award
for students receiving scholarship aid.
- Students will receive one “free” leave-term (typically the summer between
the junior and senior years) for which the annual leave-term earnings (summer
earnings) expectation will be waived.
- Beginning with the Class of 2012, admission to Dartmouth will be need-blind
for international students.
How have Dartmouth’s new initiatives made the College more affordable for
students and their families?
For students whose families earn less than
$75,000 in total income (and have typical assets), Dartmouth is now
guaranteeing that tuition costs will be completely covered by scholarship
funds. Also, we will no longer package loans as part of the financial aid
award for students receiving scholarship aid, which will significantly reduce
the debt burden of many families. Finally, there will be no summer (leave
term) earnings expectation for students during their junior year (normally the
summer between the junior and senior years), which results in a savings to the
student of just under $3,000 in the senior year.
Does "no tuition" mean that I will not be billed for tuition at all?
No. Tuition will appear on your
bill. What this means is that if your family’s total income is under
$75,000 and they have typical assets, you are guaranteed to receive scholarship
funds to cover at least the full cost of tuition.
It is great that my family won’t have to pay tuition, but what about all
the other costs of attendance? How are they covered if I’m receiving financial
aid?
After subtracting your family contribution and
the employment component of your award from the cost of education, the
remainder of your demonstrated need will be provided in scholarship funds.
Does this mean that I will never take a loan at Dartmouth?
We will not package loans in your original
financial aid award. Should you have need for loan funds to cover
additional expenses, such as a computer purchase or the portion of your health
fee that is not covered by scholarship, or to help meet your family
contribution, loan funds will continue to be available.
Why do students have to work and what does a work study job entail?
First of all, no student is required to
work. However, we do believe strongly that students should contribute to
the cost of their education both through their summer (leave-term) earnings as
well as through campus employment. We build employment into financial aid
awards for an amount that can be reasonably earned by working 10-12 hours per
week. You can work less or not at all, but the employment component will
remain in your package unless you request loan to cover it. The Student
Employment Office has a wealth of opportunities available all over campus as
well as in the community. You may find that the experience profits you
not only financially, but by helping you build valuable skills and experience
that will impress future employers. Studies show that students who are
employed while enrolled actually perform better academically!
With the elimination of student loans, does that mean I’ll need to work
more hours?
No. We are not increasing the employment
earnings expectation. The loan component of your package is being
replaced by additional scholarship funds. At any time you can choose to
work more hours than are expected based on your financial aid package; the
extra earnings are yours.
What happens if I receive an outside scholarship?
Our goal is to allow students to retain the
full benefit of these scholarships unless it would put them in a situation
where their total financial aid would exceed costs less the federally-mandated
family contribution. We, therefore, first reduce your employment.
Once your employment has been eliminated, we then reduce your family
contribution to the minimum federal level. You can also use the outside
scholarship to cover the cost of the computer and the health insurance.
If there is still excess outside scholarship beyond these reductions, your
Dartmouth scholarship will be reduced.
What does need-blind admissions mean and why is that so important?
This means that admissions decisions are made
without any consideration of a student’s financial situation. Dartmouth
believes strongly that cost should not be a deterrent to prospective
applicants. Being need-blind enables us to admit the very best students
with the most potential to contribute to our community. But our policy
goes one step further: we commit to meeting the full demonstrated need of
admitted students through their four years at Dartmouth.
How many schools offer such a policy?
Dartmouth is one of a handful of schools who
are both need blind and who guarantee to meet 100% of a student’s demonstrated
need through the entire undergraduate career.
If I’m admitted to Dartmouth and another school, and the other school
offers me a better financial aid award, will you match what the other school
has done?
Dartmouth employs a need-analysis formula that
carefully considers many aspects of a family’s financial strength. We
also are able to apply professional judgment when there are unusual or
extenuating circumstances. We are confident that our process is both
thorough and fair. However, if you receive a significantly better
need-based award from another school, we will be happy to review your case and
will do our best to make Dartmouth as affordable for you as possible within our
guidelines.
I was admitted through early decision to the Class of 2012. Will my
financial aid award change?
All students admitted in the early decision
round will receive a revised financial aid award in early April that will
reflect the changes in their award as a result of Dartmouth's new
initiatives.
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